Do I have these type of farmers/landowners correct?
Attached is a page from a clerical survey found here: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9Q97-YST3-1XN?from=lynx1UIV8&treeref=KWVH-PJY&i=26 for Stångby församling, Malmohus, Sweden.
I am trying to make sure I have the correct understanding of the various farmer title abbreviations. Is this correct below?
Åbo What is this an abbreviation for? Is this a tenant farmer?
Äger Is this an abbreviation for Hemmansägare? And is this a farmer who owns his own land?
Thank you.
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The images don't load. Here is what I can say about Åbo:
Åbo literally means "one who lives upon".
Åbo refers to those who held another's land under hereditary tenure. He was simply a usufructuary. The åbo was entitled to remain on the property for the fixed period of the tenancy, provided he paid the annual rent (interest or tax) and kept the homestead in order.
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@Ulrich Neitzel This is long. If you don't have time to read and respond, I totally understand. I needed to think it through.
I do very much appreciate your help. I have read a book about Swedish land records, but still struggle to really understand the concepts. It is very different than the way land is owned in the United States. I have never actually seen the word "usufructuary" but I did look up its meaning. (the right to use and enjoy)
I have also read in the FamilySearch wiki here: "Sweden Land and Property" I have also read several articles about the various "land reform" acts and have a sense of these and the accompanying maps. If I understand correctly, when we see fractions (1/4 of a hemman) that this reflects the property being divide up when one owner dies and the property descends to his heirs. So rather than thinking about how many acres a person has, in Sweden, I think of it as what fraction of a land unit does a person have.
And I reviewed this article https://www.skoghistoria.se/backstugusittare/
I reviewed:
Freehold: complete and absolute ownership of land
Site-Leasehold, property owned privately:
Site-Leasehold of property owned by the state or government: Indefinite period of time and terminated under specific situations. The site-leaseholder pays a fixed annual fee, which can be renegotiated at particular times. Thus, this situation is quite similar to being an owner of a property. Site-leaseholds can be transferred (bought and sold) just like freehold property.
And I reviewed this blog post on the Swedish Genealogy guide "Type of Farms in Swedish Records" (below)
Each farm had a ownership status ranked in a system called “jordnatur”. There were 3 types of farms within jordnatur:
Skattegård – were independently owned farms. The owner paid taxes directly to the government.
Kronogård – were owned by the government and leased to the farmer.
Frälsegård – were owned by the nobility and leased to the farmer.
In 1700 each group was about the same size, 1/3 Skatte, 1/3 Krono, and 1/3 Frälsegård. Over time the government sold Kronogårds to independent farmers using transactions called Skatteköp. This continued so by the late 1800’s about 60% of the farms were Skattegård. At that time the Frälsegård still made up about 1/3 of the farms especially in Mälardalen, Östergötland, and Skåne. (I am working in Skåne)
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My goal was to understand --who owned, --who leased, and --who were the propertyless population providing labor and had "usufruct" to live in a cottage on owned or leased land-- in one address No. 12 Stångby at a particular time (1843-1844). A snapshot in time.
Stångby (M) AI:11 (1841-1850) Image 43 / Page 9 https://app.arkivdigital.se/volume/v105479?image=43
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Here is my understanding so far:
No, 12 1/3 Åbo Joen Andersson. He had a long-term site-leasehold on 1/3 land unit of No. 12. Lived with his wife, 2 daughters, 3 farmhands, 1 young boy servant, and 2 maids
Gys Sven Jonasson. He was a propertyless laborer, lived with wife and son. (Not sure what Gys stands for? Gatehus? a word for peasant? The way they are grouped do we think he had his own cottage? Lived on land leased by Joen Andersson?)
Arbetskarl Nils Jonasson. He was a propertyless male worker, lived with wife and daughter. (own cottage? Lived on land leased by Joen Andersson?)
No. 12 1/12 Äger Rusthållare Lars Albrectsson He owned 1/12 land unit of No. 12. He also held a Rusthåll, or in other words got a tax exemption and a military exemption by providing upkeep of a cavalry volunteer and his horse. He actually lives at No. 4...where it turns out he owns 1/2 of a land unit there as well.
Gys Enka Pernilla Lykners. She is a widow living with her daughter. She is propertyless. (own cottage?) (not sure if she does work for the land owner or just received a place to live as compassion for the poor. Her husband was a former resigned cavalryman).
No. 12 1/16 Äger Rusthållaren Jöns Månsson. He owned 1/16 land unit of No. 12. He He also held a Rusthåll, or in other words got a tax exemption and a military exemption by providing upkeep of a cavalry volunteer and his horse. He actually lives at No. 18...where it turns out he owns 5/12 of a land unit there as well.
Rustupplysingsm Nils Ohlsson. He was propertyless but... and probably had something to do with military information or intelligence (?). He lived with his wife, son, 2 daughters, at least 1 male farmhand, another man and woman--probably another farmhand and his wife.
No. 12 1/48 Arrendator Rolof Ottasson was a propertyless but... farmer who farmed 1/48 of a land unit of No. 12 owned by a property owner who lived in another parish (based on other years). He lived with his wife, son, and maid.
Afsk Hussar Nils Gustaf Hammar was a resigned light cavalryman who was propertyless and lived with his wife. They likely did work for the farmer and owners in return for a place to live.
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Final note. Sometimes the label Torpare (cottager or peasant) is used. I am assuming there is not much difference between a Gys? Arbetskarl? and Torpare?
Am I getting it?
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Hello Karen
wow - I think you are much deeper into this than I 😊. I learned a lot from reading your write-up.
Unfortunately the image still don't show and I do not have access to Arkiv Digital.
I can add one bit of information: "Gys" probably is a misread Ghs = Gatehus as you correctly inferred, see https://forum.rotter.se/index.php?topic=146793.0
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@Ulrich Neitzel Thanks again for your input. I liked the example from the Rotters website. Do you use it much? Interestingly, a distant cousin is in the process of condensing a book I previously put together about one of my other Swedish ancestors to put into one of their journals maybe. Have a great day.
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